Just got my first e-bike a couple of days ago, and I felt like a kid at Christmas (47 years old). Brilliant invention and so easily to tour with. Absolutely BRILLIANT
Wife and I just got ours about 2 weeks ago. Most fun I've had since I was a teen. Been riding EVERY evening between 5 and 15 miles. We are in our 50's. 😉👍👍
I know right? I'm 32 years old and ebikes have brought me back to fitness like when I was younger. I used them to absolutely fatigue myself, then the motor brings me back home.
Just purchased an e-bike,my first with an electric motor and was pleasantly surprised by the power assistance. Sixty years old and I cannot wait to ride my e-bike to work.
This was the first thing that came to mind with the Lectric XPremium. Getting my mid drive motor ebike was an eye opening experience, even as a life long cyclist. The sound it makes when it shifts under load is definitely a “you’re doing something very wrong” noise. Great video, I’m glad you covered it. I don’t think anyone else has really talked about it.
Hi LL, Did you go from a rear wheel drive e-bike to a mid-drive or did you go from a non-e-bike straight to a mid-drive? Curious what you thought of the difference if you did go from rear to mid.
@@ThePackDad I went from a regular bike, to rear hub motor bike, and then to a mid drive. I don't see a problem with either a mid drive or rear, but the mid drive feels a lot more natural.
@@brianbassettnumber1 only if you shift under load. Shimano and Bosch both have shift detection. I use a Brose and have thousands of miles on my gears and they are fine.
As a new mid drive EBike owner this video was a great help. The seller did not explain that one shd not pedal while shifting gears. When I got home and tried to ride up a significant incline I didn't make it. I thought smthg was wrong with the bike. The manual was only slightly helpful but I'm 74 and ebikes are still new to me. Luckily my husband who has a hub ebike guessed I should not pedal at all when shifting. Since then no incline is a problem. Your video gave us greater insight and more advice we can use such as not starting in a high gear and using the mid gears more which I instinctively began doing as I learned how to ride the bike. So it was good to know I was doing the right thing. Also informing how to use the brake like a clutch is a big help. Thank you.
This guy's info on EBike's is in my opinion the most knowledgeable and I really enjoy his pitch which is a country mile ahead of anything else on utube.
59 years young, and just getting started with my first E-bike... just want to say thanks for a great approach of teaching your skills and knowledge to make mine and other's experience safe and enjoyable!
I came from a motorcycle background so understanding the mechanics of a middrive ebike was very intuitive for me. For example you don't start off on a motorcycle in fifth gear or you are going to stall or put a lot of strain on the clutch. You usually start off in first gear.
Just got a mid drive when I was expecting a rear hub, but the mid drive was so much nicer to ride. Thanks for these tips and tricks, I really appreciate it.
I’m a new subscriber and this channel couldn’t of come at a better time. I used to have a easy street rear hub motor. I really enjoyed that bike ,but it broke and I can’t find anyone and I mean anyone to fix it. I even called the manufacturer “BH” to ask for help and I got no acked. So I bought another ebike and I went with a Dost with the mid drive. I really wished Dōst made the bike I wanted in a rear hub motor but they don’t. So the mid drive is new to me. I actually never shifted my old bike. I didn’t really need to. I ride on flat asphalt and I never rode all that far. But I learned a lot from this video so I subscribed. Thank you for all the good information
Just had my specialized Ruze converted to an Ebike. I’m so excited to now own an Ebike. I’ve been renting them to ride with friends but loved my Ruze so I have the best of both worlds now! Your videos are the best! Very informative! I want to keep my “new” Ebike for a long time! 😊
This video is very helpful. I just ordered a mid-drive Ride1Up Prodigy XC and never had a mid-drive let alone electric bike. So your comments on how to preserve the motor and gears was really helpful. Thanks!
OMG!!! Every bike shop that sells mid drive ebikes, or bikes sold consumer direct should officially post your video to be watched before riding. I know I'm going to post your RUclips vid in my shop. Thank You, you will make my explaining to my NEW mid drive customers "legit", cause often they comeback a month of two later with the entire drive system trashed...
I converted an old Gary Fisher bike to Bafang 1000 watt mid-drive, One of the things I found a Luna Cycles is sensor that cuts power when I shift. The derailleur cable runs through the sensor any motion in the cable cuts the power, and it works great.
Excellent video on an important topic. I have been riding a mid drive for years and your advice was spot on. Except for one issue: Bosch, Shimano, Yamaha and Brose are all class one ebikes. They have no throttles hence no motor shut off connected to the brakes. Therefore the brakes can’t be used as a “clutch” to ease the shift. Your other suggestions and explanations were 100%.
I have been riding road bikes all my life. Riding a road bike and learning how to shift efficiently definitely helped me to switch to a mid-drive. Thanks for making this video.
As a mid drive rider (bafang), your advice is perfect. the shift sensor especially is great to relieve stress on the drive train. Great video as always
Lots of people have been spoiled by automatic transmission in cars. Learning to ride a mid-drive ebike will be a novel experience for some. You gave a great explanation that will help the uniniated. I have both hub and mid-drive ebikes. Both are fun in their own way.
part of the reason i use hub motor, learned to drive on a automatic and learned to ride a pedal bike always on the second highest gear since theres no hills here,
Edward which Ebike do you prefer? I bought my wife a hub drive for commuting because it was simple for her to operate and it his plenty of power for her size body. I was a little underwhelmed with it because of my 220lbs weight. I went and preordered a mid drive in the hopes my hill climbing would be better. I’m used to shifting motorcycles so I figured the shifting on a mid drive would come natural to me. Your thoughts please with your experience. Thank you
Spot on. Stop pedaling when shifting. Found out the hard way. Broke the chain and blew up the derailer while not doing this. It was a bbshd 1000 Watt. A few miles from the destination. Used the derailer cable as a tow rope and towed it back with a bbs02 750 Watt. I McGivered it. Those Bafangs are strong. Never buy the gear or brake sensors. Do what they do by stopping pedaling. ( Yes l learned the hard way. ) Good video. Great information.
Thanks for this video (even 2 years on) Micah. At 63 & just getting over an illness I’m looking at an E-bike to get some fitness back. I recently had a 2 hour trial on a mid drive entry level bike. Being in the UK it’s obvious subject to all the restrictions, so is less likely to strain the components. I still did just put it in the highest gear all the time, so your advice is helpful.
Another good video. This subject matter is highly under rated. Learning how to properly shift a mid drive will not only save your drivetrain, it will maximize your battery output and maximize your fun. He’s 100% right on all points. First gear is near useless unless climbing big hills or off roading technical stuff and top gear is pointless in most circumstances. On my DIY mid drive 8 speed, 2nd thru 5th gear are my main gears and I never start in a high gear. I have rode motorcycles daily on the streets for over 35years, so shifting is second nature for me and transitioning to ebikes has been super easy and a lot of fun. I’m now waiting for my Bafang Ultra M620 to complete my fattie build. Ebikes are amazing fun and crazy practical. Please be safe, wear good safety gear and have fun. Watch all the ebike school videos, good information!
Shifting with a mid-drive sounds very similar to shifting on a regular (non-ebike) while going uphill. The key to shifting uphill is to pedal hard enough to give yourself enough speed that you can then make the shift as you pedal without any load on the chain.
Note that shifting uphill often requires shifting before the hill gets too steep to be able to pedal in the current gear. So planning or forethought is required. Miss doing it enough times and you'll learn from experience.
This is one advantage to a hub motor. If I'm having a little trouble on a hill, I can just back off pedaling a little to take the load off the chain, but keep the throttle high to keep me moving forward while I shift.
@@NoobixCube Throttle bikes aren't legal in the UK. They have to be registered as motorcycles though very few do. The police are starting to take some interest though as accident rates climb with these things zipping through town centre traffic. Only 25k limit pedelecs are UK legal. If I wanted a motorcycle then that's what I would buy.
Good tips here! The only thing I do differently is to gently pedal whenever I'm running through the gears, it makes the whole process smoother. The shift sensor cutoff certainly helps, but pedaling smooths out the shifts.
Awesome video man! You did a great job explaining how to ride a mid-drive e-bike. I’ve been riding on a hub motor so I’m really excited to get my mid-drive. I found this video extremely helpful in how to ride it.
I have a mid drive and this video reinforces what I have tried to do. I commute 16km to and 16km from work daily. As an *ahem* overweight middle-aged woman, this reminder was excellent thanks
Bought my Specialized Vado Turbo 3.0 in 2018. Didn't know I was doing everything you informed me not to do. No damage yet, so thanks for this functional advice. love my bike, and now I will be able to love it longer.
Thank you for your excellent advice. I suspect that many people who are buying e-bikes are never counseled on the proper operation and maintenance. Shifting takes a lot of thought until one is used to it, then it becomes automatic. Now, instead of saving our knees we are saving our motors by keeping a reasonable cadence.
Omg thank you so much for your advice, finally I have a real answer to what I have always thought about my mid drive bycicle. The local dealers and bike shops are not really up to date with e - bikes and the running and upkeep of how to maintain snd use them properly, I've been given so much bad or useless information. I have to say again thank you very much, take care and good health to all.
Great advice. I always finish ride in 1 assist or 0 assist and first gear. Throttle release then upshift is fun like a motorcycle. I will try brake lever trick. Early downshifting before a steep grade is must learn habit.
Thanks from a new rider in Parksville BC Just started riding my new Dost here and appreciate the tips on shifting mid motor bike. Looking forward to the awesome trails on Vancouver Island and also your other videos ( and maybe one of your books) Cheers, Reg
Excellent mid drive review. The subtlety of using the brake lever cutoff has saved my BBSHD every time, it’s even much better than the gear sensor I have installed. Often the gear sensor is just a bit out of sync with my up/ down shift, but the brake lever, once you get the “feel” is the ticket! Great job 👍
I really luv my e-mtb with a 1000w mid drive motor, i live in a mountainous area where there a lots of professional bikers who keep on practicing. im a 63 yrs old now and i love of tail gating them while ascending, i really enjoy pedalling and keep on a pas-1 while im on a low gear.
Mate, this an excellent lesson. Great composition and lighting. Excellent “B-roll” and, and I now have a great appreciation of hub drives. I don’t have an e-bike yet, but hope to get one in a couple of months. Mid drive seem to be the way to go. Thanks for the concise explanations. Cheers from down under 👍🏼❤️🍷🇦🇺.
Perfect video on the subject! Should be recommended viewing for all new mid drive riders. I shift out of habit from years of marathon riding, even on a RadMini with an extra strong hub motor. Using the brake lever to cut power momentarily for shifting is a nice touch. Thanks for the video!
Excellent tutorial! I have recently preordered a Lectric XPremium for myself because being a bigger man I wanted more bill climbing capability. I’m used to a motorcycle so changing gears is something I’m used to. My wife has the XP 2.0 and although I really like the bike I think I need more torque for the hills. She on the other hand has no problem with any hills because of our weight difference. The hub drive is also easier for her to ride on her 12 mile commute. Nice video and thank you.
What a great instructional video! I have 2 ebikes, one hub, and one mid-drive. I now understand the ins and outs of each, and why my hub drive will not go up the hills as well as the mid-drive. Thank You, Mikey..
Good advice. I didn't realise the difference in speed between the smaller cog and the next two was so minimal. I'll definitely be making more use of the other cogs from now on.
Thank you. While I've been riding for decades, I don't yet have an eBike, but have concluded that mid-drive is where I want to go. This validates my thoughts and concerns on the topic.
Thanks for the video. I am new to the whole Ebike thing for that matter I haven't ridden a bike in about 30 years. Last year I had dual knee replacement surgery and after the operations I wanted to improve my somewhat limited ability to bend my knees properly. Before my operations I purchased a nice 10 speed bike but because of the cross bar, I wasn't able to get on and off safely while recovering. About a month ago I bought a Giant Lafree Ebike that is a step through modal. This helped a lot. While I have spent a few weeks riding near my home, I wanted to go on a short vacation to somewhere that is bike friendly and interesting place to spend a few days. I just returned from three days in Gettysburg. The town is very bike friendly with well painted bike lanes on most roads throughout the main battlefield area making the experience of riding a bike so much fun. I found I was able to ride each of the three days for 4-6 hours a day with little to no knee pain. I recommend an Ebike for anyone like myself who has knee issues and find normal bikes to difficult after surgery. Thanks again for the videos.
Some solid advice, whenever I do a kit for someone I normally send them to your videos for futher information. It's amazing how "un" technical most people are. This advice is golden and saves me a lot of time 😛 I'll always help but doesn't mean I'll always have the time to do so. I've Never charged for advice or instructions so it's great to have a faster way to get the information across.
So, glad you made this video, Micah. Really points to a lot of the reasons we had been focused on hub motors over mid-drives. The main issue being, parts used aren't made to handle the requirements. Your car analogy was ok, but backwards. In a car you want to be in the most torque providing gear off the line, where on these you want to start in "4th gear" as you put it. It's flip flopped from each other. High cog on a bike is a low gear in a car trans. Just watched Sandy Monroe's review of the Protean hub motors, very interesting stuff
Great video. As a long time motorbike rider I love the advice of "Listen to the motor", probably the most important piece of advice. Hapy Motor, Happy Bike! Voltbike Bravo Core owner and loving it!
Never ridden an e-bike before so all this is great help in deciding what type of drive to look for and how to smoothly ride it. Thanks for the great information.
Well, I certainly learned something today. I was not aware of the amount of stress that could be put on a mid-drive ebike. Been hunting for a ebike to fit my needs. Thank you for the informative information.
Have a 6 years old Bosch mid-engine e-bike with a carbon-fiber belt, 95% of the time I'm On the highest gear, engine is strong enought to do the rest, all still looks and works as new, never had a problem and all parts are still original.
I have a Rohloff e-14 gear hub, with gates carbon drive , beauty of that being the start gear automatically re-sets its self when you are stopped , the other being the electronic gear shifting which is so smooth
I'm not familiar with the Rohloff yet, but I love my Nexus 8sp hub on my non-ebike. The internal geared hubs seem like a natural match for the mid drive application. Thanks for making me aware of the application.
I always start off in 1st gear on my Trek Allant, and I have a happy motor because of it. My pet peeve is when I take my bike to the shop and they leave it in 5th or 6th gear and I don't realize it until I start off. Grrrrr!!
While your video did not apply to me personally, I found it quite interesting. I would also like to point out many people just do not know how to shift gears on a bicycle or what the purpose is. I know I was never taught, I just figured it out on my own, until as an adult I went and sought the correct methods.
G'day Micah, great video!. I got a new bafang mid drive emtb about 1 month ago. It's taken me most of that month to learn what you have just eloquently explained in a few minutes Mate. The only reason I know what a mid drive is is because of your videos so thank you Sir. I think I forgot how to ride a bike properly after riding a 1000w rear hub, cadence sensor for the past 2 years. i'm much more engaged with riding on the mid drive which I prefer. cheers
This has been the most informative video on how to shift with a mid drive motor. I just ordered Lectric XPremium bikes for my wife and myself. My question is what do you do if you are in a high gear and you have to stop suddenly and didn’t have a chance to shift to a lower gear. Can you use a little throttle to get started again until you can pedal again and shift gears? Or what?
I think I just learned more about my mid drive motor in the last eight minutes than all of my previous knowledge combined. I always ran in the highest gear (smallest cog) at top speed with my two battery setup and guess what? Burned my 750W hub motor up and ground down the cog teeth, just like you said. I'm in the process of installing a 750W mid drive, waiting for the compatible electrical connectors. Definitely glad I saw this before I went and did something stupid, again! Thanks.
After only 20 miles on my mid-drive ebike, I'd realised that easing off while down-changing under load is important. The crunching from the back end can be horrendous otherwise, and that ain't good for chain & sprockets. Good tip about using the brake-lever cut out - think I'll be practising that one on the flat first, though!
Basically, a great video and much needed. Humans do indeed though put out more than 160nm's of torque. We use 90 daily, with our ARMS in shops every day. 160 is just one leg. The additional rotations of a mid-drive do put more wear on a chain and the fact that e-cyclists really will tend to ride further, faster and more often.
Thank you for this video as it helped me figure out the rear gear and how to eliminate the grinding noise by starting on the right gear. I also appreciate all your other videos and the first book you published.😊🎉
Thanks for this. I recently bough a Lectric and really enjoy it. Some of what you said is intuitive but didn't realize that I should try to stay away from the high gear as much as I have been using it.
Another thing I want to throw in is that riding primarily in the mid range gears reduces torque flex on the front chain ring and also helps to keep the chain straighter which will help reduce wear on the drivetrain overall. You might notices a clicking noise if your chain ring is bent slightly from the torque of the motor. The thing that I've noticed is with my ebike is that it is hard to keep the motor at higher rpm but yet still have pedal cadence slow enough to effectively pedal. Generally I've noticed the bottom third of the motor's rev range can be used while pedalling but beyond that the motor is pretty much on its own. This makes it a bit trickier to go as fast as possible with both pedal and motor power while still trying to prevent damage. I think hub motors are great for their simplicity and overall performance but mid-drives give you better performance (better at climbing hills and higher top speed).
Thanks so much! This video is so helpful! I'm about to buy my second e-bike. My first had a hub motor. The bike I'm thinking of buying has a mid-drive motor. After watching your video, I feel confident that I'll be able to handle the mid-drive. So thanks again for this video! Keep up the great work!
Great points! I kind of knew some of these points, but this video really helped to enforce things. I’m lazy when riding and let the motor do the work. I tend to keep the chain in the middle and not change gears.
I’m here because after a year (and 1700 miles) of riding a mid drive eBike, with the 1500w Bafang 620 ultra motor, I’ve already broken a chain and cracked a gear tooth on the smallest cog, requiring me to replace the cassette. Thanks for the tips!
Excellent explaining of mid drive motors and shifting gears. I own three hub drive ebikes and prefer them now over getting a mid drive ebike which I thought about doing, but will pass as I don't like doing the shifting. Call me lazy, but my reason for an ebike was not to be shifting gears. Do like though using only the pedal assists and throttle.
Thanks this was really helpful! I've just purchased a Trek Rail 7 and most videos are reviews on performance. Great to find practical working tips for a new e bike user!
I replace my chain and cassette annually so I don't worry about wear and tear on the highest gear. Point well taken though. And yes, you are right on target with regard to downshifting prior to a stop in order to prepare for the restart. Nice presentation!
Thanks I had no idea about the importance of when and how to shift. Since I use my bike primarily as a workout tool my bike gets gets maximum pedal assist except while I’m totally exhausted. Mine’s a hub motor. I will look around for the same lecture only for hub motors. Thanks again.
Very good advice. I burnt my battery charging connector as it was always on high gear. Had to remove crappy connectors that were not meant for high demand of power all the time. Basically the connectors are the weak spots as they use cheapest ones
Just subscribed. My friend and I just built a E bike out of a old Townie bike one of my friend gave me. My friend keeps telling me just what you have said, but in a different way. Great video. We built it with a Bafang 750 w motor and a 48v 20ah battery. So far we have been riding the bikes around 30 miles when we get on the trails. Today we went about 35 miles :) Yeah
What absolutely fantastic advice! I'd honestly no Idea. So glad i happened to come across this information. Thank you so much. Only had my electric ⚡ Bike for two weeks. 65 Years old & first lekky mountain bike. Although I've been at it for 45 Years plus. Hey fella. Nice one thank you so much. Legend you are.🥳
Your reasons do me choose for the motor in the back wheel, where the force is directly given to the wheel. Combined with a shifting possibility of 7 or 8 athe the back.
I was aware of the problem that some motors doesn't interrupt their work whilst the driver is shifting gears or how to properly make tho motor to do so. By using the brake lever (as long as there is a switch which interrupts the motor power) this is a very reliable method to avoid stressing the drivetrain -thank you! 🙂
Fascinating. I'm 74 and use the 'top-gear' all the time on my hub drive bike. Not because it make's me go fast but because I don't have to peddle so much ! Even with non electric bike's, I'll use the highest gear, just to 'cruise along'. I ride to 'enjoy the countryside' not to get from A to B quickly or exercise and nowadays's use path's & cycle route's a lot, so going fast with walker's & dog's around, is a no, no. I live in Wales, in one of the Valley's which is hilly (like, in VERY,) and was advised the mid-drive would give me the torque to get up the hill's easier. (Being old and living at the top of a hill, I NEED that help, LOL). Thank you for the advise. It's made me think. (Ouch! ! ! )
Good info, totally obvious to anyone who understands the mechanics of a bicycle but most don't so good job educating folks. I love my ebikes, I have three, two rear hubs and one mid drive kit I put on an early 2000s mt bike. The mid drive is a monster lol.
The rules when to shift or not apply to motorized bikes the same as to non-motorized ones. The mistake many e-bike riders make is to mistake the support-level selector for a shift lever. As soon as it gets uphill they select a higher level of support instead of shifting to a smaller gear first, and then complain that the battery does not last as long as promised.
Hi Mika.. I dropped to a 30T chainring on my BBSHD to keep the motor spinning faster.. I have a recumbent touring Etrike with a substantial trailer.. I use a Rohloff speed hub and listen for the speed of the motor.. I find i get better range when i keep the motor spinning faster. Lugging down the motor drains the battery fast.
Thanks for the advice, i was trying to figure out a way to work on that as i'm going to be getting a mid drive soon...The clutch like idea sounds good and probaly more natural for someone that is use to motorcycle clutches
Just got my first e-bike a couple of days ago, and I felt like a kid at Christmas (47 years old). Brilliant invention and so easily to tour with. Absolutely BRILLIANT
I rode cold bikes all my life. First time I rode an electric one, fell in love instantly
and how its going?
Wife and I just got ours about 2 weeks ago. Most fun I've had since I was a teen. Been riding EVERY evening between 5 and 15 miles. We are in our 50's. 😉👍👍
Same here. Im 42 and just got one and keep ridind my neighborhood like a little kid 😂
I know right? I'm 32 years old and ebikes have brought me back to fitness like when I was younger.
I used them to absolutely fatigue myself, then the motor brings me back home.
Just purchased an e-bike,my first with an electric motor and was pleasantly surprised by the power assistance. Sixty years old and I cannot wait to ride my e-bike to work.
This was the first thing that came to mind with the Lectric XPremium. Getting my mid drive motor ebike was an eye opening experience, even as a life long cyclist. The sound it makes when it shifts under load is definitely a “you’re doing something very wrong” noise. Great video, I’m glad you covered it. I don’t think anyone else has really talked about it.
Hi LL, Did you go from a rear wheel drive e-bike to a mid-drive or did you go from a non-e-bike straight to a mid-drive? Curious what you thought of the difference if you did go from rear to mid.
@@ThePackDad I went from a regular bike, to rear hub motor bike, and then to a mid drive. I don't see a problem with either a mid drive or rear, but the mid drive feels a lot more natural.
Mid-drive will destroy a gear cluster. That's why riders put it in a single tall gear and ride it like an underpowered electric motorcycle.
@@brianbassettnumber1 only if you shift under load. Shimano and Bosch both have shift detection. I use a Brose and have thousands of miles on my gears and they are fine.
@@Alttabbins The channel won't let me reply to you.
As a new mid drive EBike owner this video was a great help. The seller did not explain that one shd not pedal while shifting gears. When I got home and tried to ride up a significant incline I didn't make it. I thought smthg was wrong with the bike. The manual was only slightly helpful but I'm 74 and ebikes are still new to me. Luckily my husband who has a hub ebike guessed I should not pedal at all when shifting. Since then no incline is a problem. Your video gave us greater insight and more advice we can use such as not starting in a high gear and using the mid gears more which I instinctively began doing as I learned how to ride the bike. So it was good to know I was doing the right thing. Also informing how to use the brake like a clutch is a big help. Thank you.
This guy's info on EBike's is in my opinion the most knowledgeable and I really enjoy his pitch which is a country mile ahead of anything else on utube.
Talk about joy listening to someone talk about ebikes!!!
I am still amazed at how much I learn from this channel. Not just bikes but batteries and renewable energy together.
59 years young, and just getting started with my first E-bike... just want to say thanks for a great approach of teaching your skills and knowledge to make mine and other's experience safe and enjoyable!
I came from a motorcycle background so understanding the mechanics of a middrive ebike was very intuitive for me. For example you don't start off on a motorcycle in fifth gear or you are going to stall or put a lot of strain on the clutch. You usually start off in first gear.
You would think it was common sense but many just don't understand mechanical devices.
95 of 100 ebike users start in high gear and leave it there.
@@bob-ny6kn sources?
Learning how to drive a manual has many benefits. It's a great anti-theft device!
@@andyb7963 it's what I do.
Just got a mid drive when I was expecting a rear hub, but the mid drive was so much nicer to ride. Thanks for these tips and tricks, I really appreciate it.
I’m a new subscriber and this channel couldn’t of come at a better time. I used to have a easy street rear hub motor. I really enjoyed that bike ,but it broke and I can’t find anyone and I mean anyone to fix it. I even called the manufacturer “BH” to ask for help and I got no acked. So I bought another ebike and I went with a Dost with the mid drive. I really wished Dōst made the bike I wanted in a rear hub motor but they don’t. So the mid drive is new to me. I actually never shifted my old bike. I didn’t really need to. I ride on flat asphalt and I never rode all that far. But I learned a lot from this video so I subscribed. Thank you for all the good information
Using the brake leavers as a way to let off the mid drive motor power is a helpful recommendation that I had not considered. Thank you!
My new mid drive bike has no brake lever cut-off !
My old hub-drive bike DOES have the cut-off !
Go figure 🤔
@@unclepete100 it is illegal to sell an ebike to you without a cutoff.
You will wreck if you do that. I guarantee it.
I’ve been doing that for some Tim now. Just don’t wear down the pads to quickly
@@bob-ny6kn no
Just had my specialized Ruze converted to an Ebike. I’m so excited to now own an Ebike. I’ve been renting them to ride with friends but loved my Ruze so I have the best of both worlds now! Your videos are the best! Very informative! I want to keep my “new” Ebike for a long time! 😊
This video is very helpful. I just ordered a mid-drive Ride1Up Prodigy XC and never had a mid-drive let alone electric bike. So your comments on how to preserve the motor and gears was really helpful. Thanks!
OMG!!! Every bike shop that sells mid drive ebikes, or bikes sold consumer direct should officially post your video to be watched before riding. I know I'm going to post your RUclips vid in my shop. Thank You, you will make my explaining to my NEW mid drive customers "legit", cause often they comeback a month of two later with the entire drive system trashed...
Thanks Daniel, I’m glad you think it’s that helpful for new riders. That’s great if it can be a useful resource!
Just because your ebike gives you loads of torque doesn't mean you should use it. Good lesson. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome video, just built my first mid drive e bike and you've answered so many questions. Thank you, subbed you.
Using a gear sensor with some of the Bafang mid drives is a good help with this. Riding a mid drive is much like a normal bike
I converted an old Gary Fisher bike to Bafang 1000 watt mid-drive, One of the things I found a Luna Cycles is sensor that cuts power when I shift. The derailleur cable runs through the sensor any motion in the cable cuts the power, and it works great.
Enjoy the channel! Lots of great advice for the DIY ebiker. Really appreciate the non commercialized format and DIY vibe you bring.
Excellent video on an important topic. I have been riding a mid drive for years and your advice was spot on. Except for one issue: Bosch, Shimano, Yamaha and Brose are all class one ebikes. They have no throttles hence no motor shut off connected to the brakes. Therefore the brakes can’t be used as a “clutch” to ease the shift. Your other suggestions and explanations were 100%.
Class 1 and 3.
I like the brake clutch hack. It’s the little hacks that make you feel good
I have been riding road bikes all my life. Riding a road bike and learning how to shift efficiently definitely helped me to switch to a mid-drive. Thanks for making this video.
As a mid drive rider (bafang), your advice is perfect. the shift sensor especially is great to relieve stress on the drive train. Great video as always
Lots of people have been spoiled by automatic transmission in cars. Learning to ride a mid-drive ebike will be a novel experience for some. You gave a great explanation that will help the uniniated. I have both hub and mid-drive ebikes. Both are fun in their own way.
I think anyone who has ridden a bike (well before driving a car) will have had to change gears
If you cant drive manual
You can't drive
@@getstrongby4038 get off my lawn! So F1 Drivers can't drive? Stupidest comment ever.
part of the reason i use hub motor, learned to drive on a automatic and learned to ride a pedal bike always on the second highest gear since theres no hills here,
Edward which Ebike do you prefer? I bought my wife a hub drive for commuting because it was simple for her to operate and it his plenty of power for her size body. I was a little underwhelmed with it because of my 220lbs weight. I went and preordered a mid drive in the hopes my hill climbing would be better. I’m used to shifting motorcycles so I figured the shifting on a mid drive would come natural to me. Your thoughts please with your experience. Thank you
Spot on. Stop pedaling when shifting. Found out the hard way. Broke the chain and blew up the derailer while not doing this. It was a bbshd 1000 Watt. A few miles from the destination. Used the derailer cable as a tow rope and towed it back with a bbs02 750 Watt. I McGivered it. Those Bafangs are strong. Never buy the gear or brake sensors. Do what they do by stopping pedaling. ( Yes l learned the hard way. ) Good video. Great information.
Thanks for this video (even 2 years on) Micah.
At 63 & just getting over an illness I’m looking at an E-bike to get some fitness back.
I recently had a 2 hour trial on a mid drive entry level bike.
Being in the UK it’s obvious subject to all the restrictions, so is less likely to strain the components.
I still did just put it in the highest gear all the time, so your advice is helpful.
Another good video. This subject matter is highly under rated. Learning how to properly shift a mid drive will not only save your drivetrain, it will maximize your battery output and maximize your fun. He’s 100% right on all points. First gear is near useless unless climbing big hills or off roading technical stuff and top gear is pointless in most circumstances. On my DIY mid drive 8 speed, 2nd thru 5th gear are my main gears and I never start in a high gear. I have rode motorcycles daily on the streets for over 35years, so shifting is second nature for me and transitioning to ebikes has been super easy and a lot of fun. I’m now waiting for my Bafang Ultra M620 to complete my fattie build.
Ebikes are amazing fun and crazy practical. Please be safe, wear good safety gear and have fun.
Watch all the ebike school videos, good information!
Finally a comprehensive, easily understandable, cordial guide to to E-everything. Well done you mate !
Shifting with a mid-drive sounds very similar to shifting on a regular (non-ebike) while going uphill.
The key to shifting uphill is to pedal hard enough to give yourself enough speed that you can then make the shift as you pedal without any load on the chain.
Note that shifting uphill often requires shifting before the hill gets too steep to be able to pedal in the current gear. So planning or forethought is required. Miss doing it enough times and you'll learn from experience.
That's a good analogy.
This is one advantage to a hub motor. If I'm having a little trouble on a hill, I can just back off pedaling a little to take the load off the chain, but keep the throttle high to keep me moving forward while I shift.
@@NoobixCube But we don't have trouble on hills with mid drives 😊
@@NoobixCube Throttle bikes aren't legal in the UK. They have to be registered as motorcycles though very few do. The police are starting to take some interest though as accident rates climb with these things zipping through town centre traffic. Only 25k limit pedelecs are UK legal. If I wanted a motorcycle then that's what I would buy.
Good tips here! The only thing I do differently is to gently pedal whenever I'm running through the gears, it makes the whole process smoother. The shift sensor cutoff certainly helps, but pedaling smooths out the shifts.
Finally! The FIRST helpful video about how to ride an e bike! Wish the sales guy would have taught me what you have. thanks so much
Awesome video man! You did a great job explaining how to ride a mid-drive e-bike. I’ve been riding on a hub motor so I’m really excited to get my mid-drive. I found this video extremely helpful in how to ride it.
I have a mid drive and this video reinforces what I have tried to do. I commute 16km to and 16km from work daily. As an *ahem* overweight middle-aged woman, this reminder was excellent thanks
Bought my Specialized Vado Turbo 3.0 in 2018. Didn't know I was doing everything you informed me not to do. No damage yet, so thanks for this functional advice. love my bike, and now I will be able to love it longer.
Fantastic explanation for properly shifting gears
Thank you for your excellent advice. I suspect that many people who are buying e-bikes are never counseled on the proper operation and maintenance. Shifting takes a lot of thought until one is used to it, then it becomes automatic. Now, instead of saving our knees we are saving our motors by keeping a reasonable cadence.
Just got my xp2.0 and I’m glad I saw this video. I have no ebike experience and I’m learning a lot from your channels.
Omg thank you so much for your advice, finally I have a real answer to what I have always thought about my mid drive bycicle. The local dealers and bike shops are not really up to date with e - bikes and the running and upkeep of how to maintain snd use them properly, I've been given so much bad or useless information. I have to say again thank you very much, take care and good health to all.
Great advice.
I always finish ride in 1 assist or 0 assist and first gear.
Throttle release then upshift is fun like a motorcycle.
I will try brake lever trick.
Early downshifting before a steep grade is must learn habit.
Thanks from a new rider in Parksville BC Just started riding my new Dost here and appreciate the tips on shifting mid motor bike. Looking forward to the awesome trails on Vancouver Island and also your other videos ( and maybe one of your books)
Cheers,
Reg
Excellent mid drive review. The subtlety of using the brake lever cutoff has saved my BBSHD every time, it’s even much better than the gear sensor I have installed. Often the gear sensor is just a bit out of sync with my up/ down shift, but the brake lever, once you get the “feel” is the ticket! Great job 👍
I really luv my e-mtb with a 1000w mid drive motor, i live in a mountainous area where there a lots of professional bikers who keep on practicing. im a 63 yrs old now and i love of tail gating them while ascending, i really enjoy pedalling and keep on a pas-1 while im on a low gear.
Mate, this an excellent lesson. Great composition and lighting. Excellent “B-roll” and, and I now have a great appreciation of hub drives. I don’t have an e-bike yet, but hope to get one in a couple of months. Mid drive seem to be the way to go. Thanks for the concise explanations.
Cheers from down under 👍🏼❤️🍷🇦🇺.
Perfect video on the subject! Should be recommended viewing for all new mid drive riders. I shift out of habit from years of marathon riding, even on a RadMini with an extra strong hub motor. Using the brake lever to cut power momentarily for shifting is a nice touch. Thanks for the video!
Excellent tutorial! I have recently preordered a Lectric XPremium for myself because being a bigger man I wanted more bill climbing capability. I’m used to a motorcycle so changing gears is something I’m used to. My wife has the XP 2.0 and although I really like the bike I think I need more torque for the hills. She on the other hand has no problem with any hills because of our weight difference. The hub drive is also easier for her to ride on her 12 mile commute. Nice video and thank you.
Thanks!
What a great instructional video! I have 2 ebikes, one hub, and one mid-drive. I now understand the ins and outs of each, and why my hub drive will not go up the hills as well as the mid-drive. Thank You, Mikey..
Good advice. I didn't realise the difference in speed between the smaller cog and the next two was so minimal. I'll definitely be making more use of the other cogs from now on.
Thank you. While I've been riding for decades, I don't yet have an eBike, but have concluded that mid-drive is where I want to go. This validates my thoughts and concerns on the topic.
Thanks for the video. I am new to the whole Ebike thing for that matter I haven't ridden a bike in about 30 years. Last year I had dual knee replacement surgery and after the operations I wanted to improve my somewhat limited ability to bend my knees properly. Before my operations I purchased a nice 10 speed bike but because of the cross bar, I wasn't able to get on and off safely while recovering. About a month ago I bought a Giant Lafree Ebike that is a step through modal. This helped a lot. While I have spent a few weeks riding near my home, I wanted to go on a short vacation to somewhere that is bike friendly and interesting place to spend a few days. I just returned from three days in Gettysburg. The town is very bike friendly with well painted bike lanes on most roads throughout the main battlefield area making the experience of riding a bike so much fun. I found I was able to ride each of the three days for 4-6 hours a day with little to no knee pain. I recommend an Ebike for anyone like myself who has knee issues and find normal bikes to difficult after surgery. Thanks again for the videos.
Some solid advice, whenever I do a kit for someone I normally send them to your videos for futher information. It's amazing how "un" technical most people are. This advice is golden and saves me a lot of time 😛 I'll always help but doesn't mean I'll always have the time to do so. I've Never charged for advice or instructions so it's great to have a faster way to get the information across.
this video perfectly illustrates why hub motors are better for 99% of people than mid drive motors.
So, glad you made this video, Micah. Really points to a lot of the reasons we had been focused on hub motors over mid-drives. The main issue being, parts used aren't made to handle the requirements. Your car analogy was ok, but backwards. In a car you want to be in the most torque providing gear off the line, where on these you want to start in "4th gear" as you put it. It's flip flopped from each other. High cog on a bike is a low gear in a car trans. Just watched Sandy Monroe's review of the Protean hub motors, very interesting stuff
Really concise and comprehensive educational video on such an important topic for e-bike enthusiasts. Keep up the good work mate!
I was just thinking about the exact same thing when I saw this brand new video on my recommended. great job btw!
Great video. As a long time motorbike rider I love the advice of "Listen to the motor", probably the most important piece of advice. Hapy Motor, Happy Bike!
Voltbike Bravo Core owner and loving it!
Never ridden an e-bike before so all this is great help in deciding what type of drive to look for and how to smoothly ride it. Thanks for the great information.
Good points to know; I hadn't even thought of them. I'm still researching ebikes and I'm glad you brought this issue to the fore.
Well, I certainly learned something today. I was not aware of the amount of stress that could be put on a mid-drive ebike. Been hunting for a ebike to fit my needs. Thank you for the informative information.
Excellent video Micah! I am planning to get the Lectric XPremium. Great to know the proper shifting technique for mid-drive e bike.
Have a 6 years old Bosch mid-engine e-bike with a carbon-fiber belt, 95% of the time I'm On the highest gear, engine is strong enought to do the rest, all still looks and works as new, never had a problem and all parts are still original.
I have a Rohloff e-14 gear hub, with gates carbon drive , beauty of that being the start gear automatically re-sets its self when you are stopped , the other being the electronic gear shifting which is so smooth
I'm not familiar with the Rohloff yet, but I love my Nexus 8sp hub on my non-ebike. The internal geared hubs seem like a natural match for the mid drive application. Thanks for making me aware of the application.
I always start off in 1st gear on my Trek Allant, and I have a happy motor because of it. My pet peeve is when I take my bike to the shop and they leave it in 5th or 6th gear and I don't realize it until I start off. Grrrrr!!
While your video did not apply to me personally, I found it quite interesting. I would also like to point out many people just do not know how to shift gears on a bicycle or what the purpose is. I know I was never taught, I just figured it out on my own, until as an adult I went and sought the correct methods.
G'day Micah, great video!. I got a new bafang mid drive emtb about 1 month ago. It's taken me most of that month to learn what you have just eloquently explained in a few minutes Mate. The only reason I know what a mid drive is is because of your videos so thank you Sir. I think I forgot how to ride a bike properly after riding a 1000w rear hub, cadence sensor for the past 2 years. i'm much more engaged with riding on the mid drive which I prefer. cheers
Your advice is truly awesome on how to ride an ebike.
This has been the most informative video on how to shift with a mid drive motor. I just ordered Lectric XPremium bikes for my wife and myself. My question is what do you do if you are in a high gear and you have to stop suddenly and didn’t have a chance to shift to a lower gear. Can you use a little throttle to get started again until you can pedal again and shift gears? Or what?
I think I just learned more about my mid drive motor in the last eight minutes than all of my previous knowledge combined. I always ran in the highest gear (smallest cog) at top speed with my two battery setup and guess what? Burned my 750W hub motor up and ground down the cog teeth, just like you said. I'm in the process of installing a 750W mid drive, waiting for the compatible electrical connectors. Definitely glad I saw this before I went and did something stupid, again! Thanks.
Excellent video. We just bought a tandem Genida and are on our first mid-drive machine.
After only 20 miles on my mid-drive ebike, I'd realised that easing off while down-changing under load is important. The crunching from the back end can be horrendous otherwise, and that ain't good for chain & sprockets. Good tip about using the brake-lever cut out - think I'll be practising that one on the flat first, though!
It’s called mechanical sympathy !
Or just get a gear shift sensor.... It's a night and day difference
@@Kannondale07 The bike in this video already has one yet the person explaining it seems to think it needs explaining still. So I will assume it does.
Basically, a great video and much needed. Humans do indeed though put out more than 160nm's of torque. We use 90 daily, with our ARMS in shops every day. 160 is just one leg. The additional rotations of a mid-drive do put more wear on a chain and the fact that e-cyclists really will tend to ride further, faster and more often.
Thank you for this video as it helped me figure out the rear gear and how to eliminate the grinding noise by starting on the right gear. I also appreciate all your other videos and the first book you published.😊🎉
Thanks for this. I recently bough a Lectric and really enjoy it. Some of what you said is intuitive but didn't realize that I should try to stay away from the high gear as much as I have been using it.
Your tutorial on mid drive shifting is great.Thanks,Micah!
Another thing I want to throw in is that riding primarily in the mid range gears reduces torque flex on the front chain ring and also helps to keep the chain straighter which will help reduce wear on the drivetrain overall. You might notices a clicking noise if your chain ring is bent slightly from the torque of the motor. The thing that I've noticed is with my ebike is that it is hard to keep the motor at higher rpm but yet still have pedal cadence slow enough to effectively pedal. Generally I've noticed the bottom third of the motor's rev range can be used while pedalling but beyond that the motor is pretty much on its own. This makes it a bit trickier to go as fast as possible with both pedal and motor power while still trying to prevent damage. I think hub motors are great for their simplicity and overall performance but mid-drives give you better performance (better at climbing hills and higher top speed).
Thanks so much! This video is so helpful! I'm about to buy my second e-bike. My first had a hub motor. The bike I'm thinking of buying has a mid-drive motor. After watching your video, I feel confident that I'll be able to handle the mid-drive. So thanks again for this video! Keep up the great work!
Thank you,im in the market for an ebike,you just explained why so many are for sale due to worn motors and toothless cogs,i leave here enlightened!!!
Great points! I kind of knew some of these points, but this video really helped to enforce things.
I’m lazy when riding and let the motor do the work. I tend to keep the chain in the middle and not change gears.
I’m here because after a year (and 1700 miles) of riding a mid drive eBike, with the 1500w Bafang 620 ultra motor, I’ve already broken a chain and cracked a gear tooth on the smallest cog, requiring me to replace the cassette. Thanks for the tips!
Excellent explaining of mid drive motors and shifting gears. I own three hub drive ebikes and prefer them now over getting a mid drive ebike which I thought about doing, but will pass as I don't like doing the shifting. Call me lazy, but my reason for an ebike was not to be shifting gears. Do like though using only the pedal assists and throttle.
Thanks this was really helpful! I've just purchased a Trek Rail 7 and most videos are reviews on performance. Great to find practical working tips for a new e bike user!
I replace my chain and cassette annually so I don't worry about wear and tear on the highest gear. Point well taken though. And yes, you are right on target with regard to downshifting prior to a stop in order to prepare for the restart. Nice presentation!
Well strictly they're sprockets! Just about to start riding with mid-drive so good and useful advice, thank you.
Thanks I had no idea about the importance of when and how to shift. Since I use my bike primarily as a workout tool my bike gets gets maximum pedal assist except while I’m totally exhausted. Mine’s a hub motor. I will look around for the same lecture only for hub motors. Thanks again.
Very good advice. I burnt my battery charging connector as it was always on high gear. Had to remove crappy connectors that were not meant for high demand of power all the time. Basically the connectors are the weak spots as they use cheapest ones
Just subscribed. My friend and I just built a E bike out of a old Townie bike one of my friend gave me. My friend keeps telling me just what you have said, but in a different way. Great video.
We built it with a Bafang 750 w motor and a 48v 20ah battery. So far we have been riding the bikes around 30 miles when we get on the trails. Today we went about 35 miles :) Yeah
What absolutely fantastic advice! I'd honestly no Idea. So glad i happened to come across this information. Thank you so much. Only had my electric ⚡ Bike for two weeks. 65 Years old & first lekky mountain bike. Although I've been at it for 45 Years plus. Hey fella. Nice one thank you so much. Legend you are.🥳
Your reasons do me choose for the motor in the back wheel, where the force is directly given to the wheel. Combined with a shifting possibility of 7 or 8 athe the back.
I was aware of the problem that some motors doesn't interrupt their work whilst the driver is shifting gears or how to properly make tho motor to do so. By using the brake lever (as long as there is a switch which interrupts the motor power) this is a very reliable method to avoid stressing the drivetrain -thank you! 🙂
Fascinating. I'm 74 and use the 'top-gear' all the time on my hub drive bike. Not because it make's me go fast but because I don't have to peddle so much ! Even with non electric bike's, I'll use the highest gear, just to 'cruise along'. I ride to 'enjoy the countryside' not to get from A to B quickly or exercise and nowadays's use path's & cycle route's a lot, so going fast with walker's & dog's around, is a no, no. I live in Wales, in one of the Valley's which is hilly (like, in VERY,) and was advised the mid-drive would give me the torque to get up the hill's easier. (Being old and living at the top of a hill, I NEED that help, LOL). Thank you for the advise. It's made me think. (Ouch! ! ! )
Good info, totally obvious to anyone who understands the mechanics of a bicycle but most don't so good job educating folks. I love my ebikes, I have three, two rear hubs and one mid drive kit I put on an early 2000s mt bike. The mid drive is a monster lol.
The rules when to shift or not apply to motorized bikes the same as to non-motorized ones. The mistake many e-bike riders make is to mistake the support-level selector for a shift lever. As soon as it gets uphill they select a higher level of support instead of shifting to a smaller gear first, and then complain that the battery does not last as long as promised.
Hi Mika.. I dropped to a 30T chainring on my BBSHD to keep the motor spinning faster.. I have a recumbent touring Etrike with a substantial trailer.. I use a Rohloff speed hub and listen for the speed of the motor.. I find i get better range when i keep the motor spinning faster. Lugging down the motor drains the battery fast.
People will see this video over 70 years and they will be like damn..
This guy might be 90 now but he did help me even now with this video
Thanks for the excellent advice on proper shifting and gear selection.
Thanks for the advice, i was trying to figure out a way to work on that as i'm going to be getting a mid drive soon...The clutch like idea sounds good and probaly more natural for someone that is use to motorcycle clutches
Very nice video!
You’re a good speaker… 👏 I just purchased my E-Bike and this information was super helpful.
WoW! This one is Excellent! Truly useful video for eBike user everywhere! Thank you.